The Rose
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: Dedicated to High On Fun inspired by her story As Time Goes By  When Jade is having a particularly tough day Tori makes her listen to a song that sends a comforting message but when she thinks her world is about to fall apart she learns it's not at all.


This story is dedicated to High On Fun without whom I would not have been inspired. I don't own this story or the song who is song by Bette Middler_

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Some say love, it is a river

It was a really rough day for Jade. Some days were seemingly okay. Other days were rough. Some days were really rough. Without Beck, he was away in the army some days seemed like they were never going to end and others seemed to be plagued with horrific nightmares.

_That drowns the tender reed_

Tori came in.

"Guess what day today is?"

"Monday"

Tori put her hands on her hips and threw her friend a look.

"Yes," she said, "It's Monday but guess what other day it is"

_Some say love, it is a razor_

"I don't know," Jade said, "One day seems to bleed into another. Does this day have any significance?"

"JADE are you serious that you don't know that today is March 15th?"

"So?"

"So, don't you know what happens on December 1st?"

_That leaves your soul to bleed_

That's when it hit Jade. Beck was coming back on April 2nd. For the first time in a long time her tears were not tears of sorrow but tears of joy. She and Beck had been parted for almost 4 years now. They would talk on the phone or through video chat but it wasn't the same as being with him and NOT being with him left a hole in her heart.

_Some say love, it is a hunger_

"Jade," Tori said, "I want you to listen to me and I want you to understand what I'm about to say. It's not going to be easy to understand but I need you to listen. There is an old song called The Rose. Have you ever heard of it?"

"You mean the one by Bette Middler?"

_An endless aching need_

"That's the one," Tori said with a smile.

"I LOVE THAT SONG," Jade exclaimed.

"Do you remember the words at the end?"

"Yes of course, Jade said, "It says when the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long and you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snow lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes a rose"

"That relates to you," Tori said.

_I say love, it is a flower_

"How," Jade asked.

"When you go through a tough time," she explained, "and it's not just you, it's everyone it can be very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel"

"You are so right Vega," Jade said.

"It seems like a nightmare but one that you'll never wake up from"

"Thanks," Jade said sarcastically, "I feel so much better"

_And you, its only seed_

"I know it doesn't," Tori said, "At least right now it doesn't make you feel better but I'm not done yet"

Of course she wasn't done yet.

"You may not believe it right now but in the end it's always worth it."

"But how do I know the end is going to come," Jade asked softly.

"It's almost there," Tori reminded her.

_It's the heart afraid of breaking_

"I know that," Jade said, "but what if… I mean I have friends that have gone through tough times… to the point where the nightmare will never end"

"Yeah but the storm has passed," Tori pointed out.

"Cute," Jade said but she was smiling.

"I know I am," Tori said

Jade cracked up.

_That never learns to dance_

"Do you really think I'm going to understand in the end?"

"I don't think it. I know it."

"Maybe you can explain it to me now," Jade said, "Because I DON'T understand it"

"Sure," Tori said, "Do you remember when your sister died?"

_It's the dream afraid of waking_

"Yeah," Jade said, "I promised her I would go on the rock climb that we used to go on. I didn't like going after she died. I had to do it however because I promis- and Beck promised his dad he would join up when his dad died. I get that."

"After you went on the rock climb didn't you realize the benefits outweighed the bad stuff?"

_That never takes a chance_

"Yeah," Jade said, "You're right. I did."

"See what I mean?"

Jade **did **see what she meant. She knew Tori was right.

_It's the one who won't be taken_

Jade could be very stubborn. She knew how to get what she wanted and was never afraid to take that road, but with Beck it was different. She could not hold him back. She could not stop him from doing what he knew was right. It wasn't him that stopped her from holding him, back… but herself

_Who cannot seem to give_

She knew how important it was to Beck to keep his promise to his dad. She couldn't stop him from keeping that promise he made. She would move heaven and earth to keep the promise she made to her dad. She never did make a promise but if she did she would move heaven and earth to keep it. She wiped a tear away.

_And the soul afraid of dying_

She held her breath through all the nightmares and cried from relief when everything was alright. Then she would hold her breath again after the next nightmare and the next and the next and the next and the next and so on and so on and so on. Sometimes she would beret herself. Why did she have to do what was right? If it was right, why was it causing her so much pain in her soul?

_That never learns to live_

About six months ago she was in a café and she ran into an old friend of hers. The girl was tearful.

"How do you do it," she asked Jade

"Do what?"

"Get through tough times," she sniffled, "You're the strongest person I know"

_When the night has been to lonely_

Jade didn't tell her about all the lonely nights. Jade didn't tell her about the nightmares that she had and how she would cry herself to sleep at night sometimes. Jade didn't tell her about the friends who had suffered what she feared she would suffer. The girl didn't need to know that. She would find out in tim_e_

_And the road has been too long_

The doorbell rang. Jade's heart pounded in her chest.

"Oh My GOD," she said, "The doorbell just rang. W-what do you think that mean?"

"Well I COULD BE WRONG," Tori said, "But I think it might mean someone's at the door"

_And you think that love is only_

"Do you think that Beck is still alive?"

Tori looked at Jade like she was crazy.

"Of course," she said, "What in the world kind of a dumb question is that?"

"That's not a dumb question"

"Jade," Tori said, "Answer the damn door"

_For the lucky and the strong_

Jade's hands were shaking. Her mind was in a whirl.

"For GOD sake Jade," Tori said, "answer the door"

"Okay," she said getting ready to cry.

Tori gently pushed her to the door.

_Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snow lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes a rose_

Jade slowly pulled the door handle and screamed. It was Beck.

"I got early leave," Beck explained, "my commanding officer-"

He didn't have time to finish his sentence before her lips came crashing down upon his. Her winter was finally over and it was springtime in her heart.


End file.
